NYCC 2011: Image Has Good News For Fans of Extreme Studios

Today at NYCC’s “Creator Owned Comics” panel with Robert Kirkman, it was announced that Image Comics will be relaunching a number of Extreme Studios titles in the coming months. For those who aren’t familiar with their history (what are they teaching in those schools of yours?) Extreme was the studio Rob Liefeld started when he co-founded Image Comics, a studio that produced many of the publisher’s earliest and biggest hits. Liefeld was on the panel and will be overseeing the relaunched titles.

The talent involved promises to be an interesting mix, with artists ranging from Liefeld to Erik Larsen to Ross Campbell, best know for his emo slice of life work at Oni Press. The writing talent is exciting in its own right, with stories being penned by Brandon Graham, Tim Seeley, Joe Keatinge, and John McLaughlin, who many of you would recognize as the writer of the film Black Swan, which starred Natalie Portman. Yes, you read that correctly. McLaughlin apparently has been in talks with Image since January 2011 to write Youngblood said Liefeld on the panel.

Oh, and also Alan Moore.

Indeed.

True, the Alan Moore Supreme story is apparently the last 2 issues Moore wrote for Liefeld and Supreme in its nineties heyday rather than something hot off the printer, but come now. Alan Moore is Alan Moore. Alan Moore superhero comics, no less. Not only that, but Supreme is being drawn by Erik Larsen, Image Founder and Savage Dragon creator & Cory Hamscher. After these 2 issues, Larsen will be taking over the book himself and doing his take on Supreme.

Liefeld also revealed on the panel that these books would be picking up at their next natural issue numbers, in continuity, and not another “first issue launch” gimmick. So Youngblood will be launching at issue #71.

Comments

Supreme was awesome! I think they’re going to publish the old series digitally or in trade when this new stuff launches.

The Alan Moore run is a reboot of the original character. The original Supreme was more angry / violent. The Moore Supreme was more “Silver Age Superman” as far the ideas go….but not in a cheesy way. Lots of really cool BIG ideas and tons of imagination. Rick Veitch did some great work on Supreme as well. As much as liked the original version ,Moore’s version has much more to offer. The reboot itself is incorporated into the story so … in a way… the old version still exists alongside of the new version. It’s hard to explain without spoiling it for you. I expect for Erik Larsen to take that ball and run with it.

Check it out. The old and new versions are two totally different flavors. =)

The Extreme books were always my favorite back in the day because Liefeld had the coolest characters.
If these books are as fun as the originals were then this is going to be a blast. Jon Malin on Youngblood and Erik Larsen working outside of Savage Dragon is going to be crazy. Big fan of both guys.

Bloodstrike was always my favorite . Very excited to see what Tim Seeley has planned. Hack / Slash rocks.

I realy liked Supreme. Dont realy remember it.. just remember enjoying it. Erik Larsen is a blast…too ,, hes funny… hmmmm… however.. i dont remember supreme having a sense of humor…. hmmmmmmmmmmm. I did read bloodstrike and prophet. I think they werent too bad either…. of course i was 12 at the time. I think i even have an issue of glory around somewhere.. but i didnt read it… “wink wink.. nudge nudge,,.Know what i mean .. know what i mean…. say no more”
Were Liefield’s pencil’s always so awefull? I used to think they were awesome.

I like how Liefeld insists that he’s above the “first issue launch” gimmick, since Image and Extreme beat it into the ground in the 90s. These books will not be on my pull list. I wish them great success, but I have no intention of revisiting this particular era or these particular characters.